Water ski rack

ABSTRACT

A water ski rack comprising two spaced rack units for supporting a pair of water skis adjacent the respective ends thereof. Each rack unit includes a fork-like rack element having three tines adapted to receive the skis therebetween. Each rack element has a projecting prong adapted to be plugged into a socket in a bracket mounted on a suitable supporting structure. A spring clip carried by each bracket and engageable with the corresponding prong retains it in its socket. Straps secure the skis in the rack elements.

[22] Filed:

United States Patent Adams [54] WATER SKIRACK [72] Inventor: HerveyKeith Adams, Santa Maria,

Calif. 1

[73] Assignee Rad e0 Manufacturing (30., Inc.,

Santa Maria, Calif.

Dec. 28, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 101,489

[52] 1.1.8. Cl......211/60 SK, 24/230 SL, 224/42.45 R,

v 248/201, 248/309, 280/1 1.37 K [51] Int. Cl. ..A47b 81/00, A471 7/00[58] Field of Search ..2l1/60 SK, 64, 4, 60 R;

280/11.37 K, 11.37 KA; 224/45.16, 5.26,

42.45 R, 42.1 G; 248/201, 309, 225, 224, 176, 316 D; 24/230 SL, 230 B,230 A [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,632,619 3/1953Wilson ..21 1/64 ux 2,463,400 3/1949 Lowe ..24s/3o9 x 487,369 12/1892Lewis ..248/309 x 3,272,413 9/1966 P1161361 ..224/4s.s 3,013,397 l/l962Carlyle ..21 1/60 SK 051 3,701,436 1451 Oct. 31, 1972 2,495,667 1/1950Vizner .L ..24/230 8 X 2,149,550 3/1939 Richards ..24l230 SL 2,536,7971/ 1951 Cooke ..224/42.45 A 2,797,851 7/1957- Leake ..2 48/309 UX'853,118 5/1907 Richey ..248/309 X 1,236,458 8/1917 McDonald ......24/230B 3,041,693 7/ 1962. Simon, Jr ..24l230 SL UX 3,300,168 1/ 1967 Gaudino..248/316 X Primary Examiner-Roy D. Frazier Assistant Examiner-AbrahamFrankel Attorney-Harris, Kern, Waller & Finsley 7] ABSTRACT A water skirack comprising two spaced rack units for supporting a pair of waterskis adjacent the respective ends thereof. Each rack unit includes afork-like rack element having three tines adapted to receive the skistherebetween. Each rack element has a projecting prong adapted to beplugged into a socket in abracket mounted on a suitable supportingstructure. A spring clip carried by each bracket and engageable with thecorresponding prong retains it in its socket. Straps secure theskis inthe rack elements.

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 1 WATER SKI RACK BACKGROUND OF INVENTIONSUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF INVENTION A primary object of the invention is toprovide a water ski rack, or the like, comprising two rack units whichmay be mounted on any suitable supporting structure, such as anyconvenient part of a boat, in a spaced relation such that the two unitssupport at least one pair of skis adjacent the respective ends thereof.

More particularly, an important object of the invention is to provideski rack units each of which includes a fork-like rack element capableof supporting at least two skis between the tines thereof, and each ofwhich is removably plugged into a socket in a mounting bracket attachedto the desired supporting structure. It will be understood that thespaces between the tines of the two rack elements are aligned so thatthe rack elements support the skis at spaced points adjacent therespective ends thereof.

Another important object is to provide a rack unit wherein theprong ofthe rack element is oriented at about 45 to the tines so that the rackelement can be positioned to cause the tines to face upwardly with thebracket mounted on a vertical surface, an inclined surface, an upwardlyfacing horizontal surface, or even a downwardly facing horizontalsurface.

Still another important object of the invention is to provide eachmounting bracket with a spring clip engageable with the prong of thecorresponding rack element to releasably retain such prong in itssocket. A related object is to provide a construction wherein each pronghas transverse notches spaced apart longitudinally thereof and each ofwhich is capable of receiving the corresponding spring clip therein.

Yet another object is to provide a ski rack unit wherein each springclip is generally U-shaped over-all and has end portions secured to thebracket and a transverse portion interconnecting the end portions andreceivable in any one of the transverse notches in the correspondingrack-element prong. A related object is to provide the bracket withundercut grooves and to provide the spring clip with U-shaped endportions respectively pressed into the undercut grooves in the bracket.

A further object is to provide each rack element with a strapeonnectible to the outermost tines thereof and adapted to span thespaces between the tines to retain the skis between the tines.

The foregoing objects, advantages, features and results of the presentinvention, together with various other objects, advantages, features andresults thereof which will be evident to those skilled in the ski rackart in the light of this disclosure, may be achieved with the exemplaryembodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing anddescribed in detail hereinafter.

2 DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING In the drawing: FIG. 1 is a perspective viewshowing the water ski rack of the invention mounted on a suitableupwardly facing, horizontal supporting structure, it being unv derstoodthat the rack may be mounted on a vertical supporting structure, aninclined supporting structure, or even on a downwardly facing,horizontal supporting structure;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of one of the rack units constitutingthe water ski rack of the invention;

FIG. 3 shows one of the rack units from above as it is viewed in FIG. 2;and

FIG. 4 is a sectional viewtaken as indicated arrowed line 4-4 of FIG. 2

. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT OF INVENTION Referringinitially to FIG. 1 of the drawing, illustrated therein is a rack 10shown as supporting apair of water skis 12. In the particularinstallation illustrated, the rack 10 is shown as mounted on an upwardlyfacing, horizontal supporting structure 14, such as a boat deck, arailing, or the like. However, because of a structural feature to bediscussed hereinafter, the rack 10 may equally well be mounted on avertical supporting structure, an inclined supporting structure, or evenunder an overhang.

The ski rack 10 includes two ski rack units 20 which support the skis 12adjacent the respective ends thereof. The rack units 20 are identical sothat only one of them will be considered in detail.

Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4 of the drawing, each rack unit 20 includes afork-like rack element 22 shown as having three spaced tines 24, 26 and28, one ski 12 being receivable between the tines 24 and 26 and theother between the tines 26 and 28. (If desired, the rack element 22could be equipped with more tines to receive more skis.) The skis 12 areretained in the rack element 22 by an elastomeric strap 30 provided atits ends with loops 32 engageable with hooks 34 on the outerrnost tines24 and 28. With this construction, the strap 30 can be installed readilyby engaging one of the loops 32 with one of the hooks 34, stretching thestrap around the skis l2, and engaging the other loop 32 with by the theother hook 34. The strap 30 can be disengaged correspondingly easily.

The rack element 22 of each rack unit 20 includes a prong 40 which isinsertable into a socket 42 in a mounting bracket 44 and which makes anangle of approximately 45 with the tine assembly 24, 26 and 28. Becauseof this angular relationship between the tine assembly and the prong 40,the mounting bracket 44 may be installed on either a horizontalsupporting structure like the structure 14, a vertical supportingstructure, not shown, an inclined supporting structure, or even under anoverhang. More particularly, the rack element 22 can be oriented withthe tines 24, 26 and 28 facing upwardly with the prong 40 orientedhorizontally, as shown, or with the prong oriented vertically, or atsome intermediate angle. Also, if the bracket 44 is mounted under anoverhang, the rack element can be reversed relative to the bracket sothat the tines face upwardly. Thus, the rack 10 of the invention can beinstalled on a wide variety of supporting structures, which is animportant feature.

- responding rack element 22 to releasably secure it in its socket 42.Preferably, the spring clip 50 is generally U- shaped over-all and hasend portions 52 secured to the mounting bracket 44 and a transverseportion 54 interconnecting the end portions and receivable in any one ofa plurality of longitudinally spaced, transverse notches 56 in the prong40. It will be noted that the prong 40 is provided with the notches 56in two opposed surfaces thereof so that the rack element 22 may bereversed in position with respect to the mounting bracket 44 if themounting bracket is so oriented as to require reversal to permit thetine assembly 24, 26 and 28 to face upwardly. Preferably, the tip of theprong 40 is-pointed to facilitate insertion into its socket 42 past thespring clip 50 and the spring clip is provided with projecting fingergrips 58 for releasing it from the notch 56 in which it is disposed.

Considering how the spring clip 50 is secured to its mounting bracket44, the latter is provided on opposite sides thereof with undercutgrooves 60. The end portions 52 of the spring clip 50 are U-shaped orhook shaped and are simply pressed into the undercut grooves 60, beingfrictionally retained therein. However, if desired, supplementary means,such as screws, may be used to hold the end portions 52 in the grooves60.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the present-inventionprovides a very universal ski rack which can be installed easily in anyof a wide variety of locations, which is an important feature.

Although an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been disclosed forpurposes of illustration, it will be understood that various changes,modifications and substitutions may be incorporated in such embodimentwithout departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by theclaims appearing in the next section of this specification.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a ski rack unit, or the like, the combination of:

a. a fork-like rack element having three tines adapted to receive twoskis therebetween;

b. said rack element also having a prong projecting from said tines andprovided with transverse notches spaced apart longitudinally thereof;

0. a bracket having a socket of a size to receive said prong therein;

(1. a spring clip carried by said bracket and receivable in any one ofsaid notches in said prong to retain same in said socket, said springclip being generally U-shaped over-all and having end portions securedto said bracket and a transverse portion interconnecting said endportions and receivable in any one of said notches; and

e. means for mounting said bracket on a suitable supporting structure. I

2. A ski rack unit or the like, according to claim 1 wherein saidbracket is provided with undercut grooves and wherein said end portionsof said spring clip are U- including a strap connectible to theoutermost of said tines and adapted to span the spaces between saidtines to retain the two skis therebetween.

4. A ski rack unit, or the like, as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidprong makes an angle of about 45 with said tines.-

5. A ski rack, or the like, including two ski rack units according toclaim 1 in spaced relationship with the spaces between the tines of saidrack elements in alignment so that said rack elements support the skisat spaced points.

1. In a ski rack unit, or the like, the combination of: a. a fork-likerack element having three tines adapted to receive two skistherebetween; b. said rack element also having a prong projecting fromsaid tines and provided with transverse notches spaced apartlongitudinally thereof; c. a bracket having a socket of a size toreceive said prong therein; d. a spring clip carried by said bracket andreceivable in any one of said notches in said prong to retain same insaid socket, said spring clip being generally U-shaped over-all andhaving end portions secured to said bracket and a transverse portioninterconnecting said end portions and receivable in any one of saidnotches; and e. means for mounting said bracket on a suitable supportingstructure.
 2. A ski rack unit or the like, according to claim 1 whereinsaid bracket is provided with undercut grooves and wherein said endportions of said spring clip are U-shaped and pressed into said grooves,respectively.
 3. A ski rack unit, or the like, as set forth in claim 1including a strap connectible to the outermost of said tines and adaptedto span the spaces between said tines to retain the two skistherebetween.
 4. A ski rack unit, or the like, as set forth in claim 1wherein said prong makes an angle of about 45* with said tines.
 5. A skirack, or the like, including two ski rack units according to claim 1 inspaced relationship with the spaces between the tines of said rackelements in alignment so that said rack elements support the skis atspaced points.